Prior to my current position as chief editor, I was a press attache based in the Republic of China embassy in South Africa. The country at that time was at a crossroads: apartheid had been dismantled and Nelson Mandela had ascended to the presidency, but serious problems still plagued the country. A deteriorating social disorder, a lack of skilled labor, and political turmoil contributed to an uncertain future for the country.

Similarly, I found myself standing at a crossroads in my own life. By 1995, I had completed a successful three-year tenure at the embassy, but was unsure of my future plans. I tossed and turned many nights as I debated the two paths facing me. Should I carry on leading the affluent, but less significant, life of a diplomat? Or, should I follow my heart, become a spiritual cultivator, and do something tangible for those in need by joining the Tzu Chi Foundation? At 38, I couldn't afford to choose the wrong path.

With the support of my wife Jeanny and the wise counsel of Tzu Chi Vice President Wang Tuan-cheng, I decided to discuss my options in person with Master Cheng Yen. I flew from Taipei to Hualien in company with my wife, and met with the Master on September 12, 1995. Looking back, it seems incredible that such a brief conversation could trigger such a dramatic change in the direction of my life. Although I didn't know in which way my services would be used in Tzu Chi, I had full confidence that the Master would arrange my future well.

I flew back to Taipei that afternoon, and the next morning submitted my letter of resignation to Dr. Jason Hu, the government spokesman and future foreign minister of Taiwan.

It wasn't long before the Master named me Editor-in-Chief of the Foreign Language Publications Department, and I've held the position ever since. This role is much more than just earning a living using my skills in English translation, editing, and foreign services. I have the significant responsibility of helping propagate the Master's teachings and communicating to a worldwide readership the humanitarian spirit of Tzu Chi. I do this by coordinating the production of the Tzu Chi Quarterly, Japanese Monthly, and an assortment of publications in Spanish, German and French. Fortunately, I am assisted by a talented and devoted staff, consisting of Douglas Shaw, Wu Hsiao-ting, Lin Sen-shou, YY Tang, YC Lin and other fine volunteers. Each of these wonderful persons works diligently to produce articles of the highest quality. We are also deeply grateful to the many volunteer editors that donate their time and energy to polish and refine each article. While they are not often mentioned by name, their thoughtful and dedicated assistance "behind t he scenes" is invaluable to us and our readers.

We work together as a team to make each publication interesting and informative. In addition to translating the Master's teachings into other languages, each publication offers a wide assortment of articles. These include inspiring stories of Tzu Chi volunteers engaged in disaster relief and medical assistance programs around the world, and articles on the arts and humanities, education and religion, Buddhist stories, and environmental protection. Through the variety of articles we include in each publication, we hope to activate the love and compassion within our readers.

As we look back and celebrate the first decade of providing quality magazines and books for our readers, we look forward with anticipation for many more decades of service to come. It is an honor to help allow the light of unselfish giving, compassion, and love to shine throughout the whole world.